March 20, 2018 in Near the Clock Tower, Peregrine Falcons Eastern Massachusetts, Peregrine Falcons Massachusetts
Arrived in the Clock Tower area close to 6:15 pm and located both peregrines on the south edge of the New Balance building along Merrimack Street. The male sat quietly without moving much. The female was closer to the SW corner and she was cleaning her bill against the edge of the roof line!
March 18, 2018 in Near the Clock Tower, Peregrine Falcons Eastern Massachusetts, Peregrine Falcons Massachusetts
Under clear skies, bright sun, strong NW winds at 17MPH, gusting 23MPH, and temp around 18F, with wind chill at 3F, made a short visit to look for Peregrine Falcons at Boston University. Located one falcon next to the entry to the nest box atop the 26 story Stu Vi II high rise student dorms.
February 12, 2018 in lawrence peregrines, Near the Clock Tower, Peregrine Falcons Eastern Massachusetts, Peregrine Falcons Massachusetts
Made a morning run by the Clock Tower in search of the Lawrence Peregrines. Mostly cloudy, wind from NW at 9MPH, and temp around 42F.
The female was perched on the short but prominent steel beam on south side of Merrimack Street near intersection with Union Street. This is a very regular perch location in the morning, as the weather warms up.
She was midway through a morning snack, when the male zoomed in and snatched the goodies….pair bonding underway!
November 9, 2017 in Near the Clock Tower
The Lawrence Peregrines continue to loaf and enjoy the cooler fall days around the extended Clock Tower area. Located the adult male this morning on one of the triangular roof pediments. The morning was filled with bright sun, cobalt blue skies, light wind from the SE, and temps just over 50F. The male looked a bit bedraggled with feathers blowing in the wind. The female was nearby on the wets side of Clock Tower on a ledge above the clock face.
October 30, 2017 in lawrence peregrines, Near the Clock Tower
Made a late afternoon pass by the Ayer Mill Clock Tower for a brief look at the peregrine falcons. While scanning for the peregrines, noticed hundreds of American crows streaming into the area west of the New Balance building complex and preparing for their overnight winter roost. In the midst of the crow chaos, noticed a single peregrine buzzing a few of the crows. The peregrine landed on a number of lower than normal rooftop perch locations, perhaps to take a run at some of the crows. As it perched atop the roof of B&D Advanced Warehousing Corp. building in fading sunlight. As it moved around just a bit while perched, the bi-colored alpha-numeric leg bands were exposed. It was the male with the black over green 6/4 left leg band!
May 15, 2017 in Near the Clock Tower
Peregrine Falcon chicks are helpless. One parent (often the female but sometimes the male) stays with the chicks while the other finds food for the brood. Eyases eat an incredible amount of food – but then, they double their weight in only six days and at three weeks will be ten times birth size.
Newly hatched chicks are wet and covered with white down. But by three weeks of age, brownish juvenile feathers can be seen poking through the white fuzz. By five or six weeks of age, the white fuzz has been completely replaced by brown feathers. The eyases can be observed jumping around and testing their wings, getting ready to fly.
April 5, 2017 in Near the Clock Tower
Mating starts as many as four weeks, or more, before egg laying and continues through the process, up to several times an hour. The male will mount the female, typically no longer then ten seconds, then he will disengage and fly off. Fertilization of an egg happens every 48 hours. After being fertilized, it takes an egg 24 hours to develop and be laid… resulting in a new egg being laid every 48 hours! We are likely a day or two away from the first egg being laid, if it hasn’t happened all ready!
March 29, 2017 in Near the Clock Tower
Lots of pair bonding continues with the male and female. they are frequently seen in very close proximity to each other with the breeding cycle in full swing. This morning the female was seen eating prey on one of the triangle pediment ledges above the entry to one of the New Balance buildings located at 200 Merrimack Street under dark overcast sky conditions. The male was just to the east on one of the short steel beams just below the roof line.
March 28, 2017 in Near the Clock Tower
While passing by the New Balance building complex, just happened to notice a possible Peregrine on the peak of one of the triangular roof pediments on the south side of the building. Turns out to be the female enjoying a mid-morning snack. It was an overcast morning with low light conditions. The male flew by for just a moment and then out of sight!
March 23, 2017 in Near the Clock Tower
A late afternoon visit by the Clock Tower with both peregrines in sight. The male was seen on a window ledge along the very west wing of the New Balance Building. These ledges are more regularly used by fledglings after first flights. From time to time the adults will be perched on these granite ledges to be near the nest or just to be out of the wind and to soak up the warmth of the late day sun!
